Bathurst withdraws from Anse-Bleue wind farm project
City said the project was no longer profitable and that there were issues around social licence
A planned wind farm in the Bathurst, N.B., area was struck a major blow on Monday.
City council withdrew an application for funding for the Chaleur Ventus Energy Project planned for Anse-Bleue, about 56 kilometres northwest of Bathurst.
At a special meeting of council the city said it no longer the thought the project would be profitable.
The city was the majority partner in a group aiming to build five windmills on the site.
The project has been controversial for people living in the small community since it was announced.
Resident Patrick Thériault told Radio-Canada that 85 per cent of the community signed a petition against the wind farm, which was then submitted to Bathurst city council.
The city is a partner with Fredericton-based Naveco Power and NB Power.
If built, the farm was expected to generate enough electricity to power 9,000 homes.
With files from René Landry, Alix Villeneuve and Radio-Canada